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Endangered: Zaya Guatemala

Our friend Dave Russell chimes in with more commentary on Endangered Rums. Here’s his take on Zaya-Guatemala.

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Endangered Rums: Zaya (Guatemala)
by Dave Russell

There’s one little word on the label that means all the difference about what’s inside the bottle. Check closely. You see, Zaya used to be produced by Industrias Licoreras de Guatemala, the same expert craftspeople behind Zacapa and Botran rums. When the spirits powerhouse, Diageo, entered the picture, they wanted most of Zacapa’s production for their own interests, and sent Zaya packing to seek another distiller.

Zaya, exiled from Central America, washed up on the shores of Trinidad, and has been distilled by Angostura ever since. Nothing wrong with that. If you like Angostura’s fine 1824 and 1919 rums, you will love Zaya (Trinidad). But if you’re seeking a nearly extinct rum, be on the lookout for leftover bottles of Zaya from Guatemala. It’s numbers are decreasing rapidly, but Zaya (Guatemala) can occasionally be found lurking in the back of some low-traffic liquor mart‘s shelves. $36.